She heard the cup hit the granite counter top and looked up to see a tall white cup with her name written on it in black sharpie. "Thank you," she directed at the young woman that made her coffee before she turned on her heel and walked towards the exit.
She could hear Joe calling after her. "You know, one day I'm going to shake up your world and you're going to wish you would have said yes to me earlier!" She could tell there was some laughter in his voice.
"Today is not that day, Joe!" she called back before pushing the door open with her palm and walking out into the cool morning. Clarke's body shivered just a little as the wind hit her on her way down the street. It was going to be warming up soon, but for now it was still in the high 50s outside, making mornings have a bite to them. Clarke was ready for the bite to leave and the warmth of the sun to follow her on her short journey over to the shop.
When she got there, she just stood there for a moment, looking into her dark shop. She admired the cursive pink writing that read "Virginia Clarke's Petals". The name of the shop always sounded more like a novel, but that was how she liked it. She wanted the place to be more than just another corner flower shop. She wanted it to tell a story.
Clarke sighed and pulled out the golden key from her purse and unlocked the glass door leading into the shop. She walked through, flipping on lights so she could glance at the work that had been done as she took her belongings into the back to lock them up.
She locked her purse in a desk drawer and glanced at the large corkboard which was the only decoration of any kind against the white walls. She kept meaning to do something with the office, but she didn't know what. At least the employees kept the corkboard filled with employee of the month pictures, happy customers and their favorite bouquets each month. A lot of them were custom pieces for events like weddings and conferences. That was her life's work up there, narrowed down to a tiny space on the wall with some cheesy photos.
Clarke knew all she had accomplished with her flower business, but she was always looking for ways to be more or do better. It just never seemed enough. It probably had something to do with her mother's constant criticism that ran through her mind as if it was her conscience.